Wenguanguo is a species of the sapindaceae family. Its scientific name is Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. Wenguanguo is the common Chinese name; others are Wenguanngguo, Wenguanmu, Wenguanhua, Xilacedeng and xilasendeng. Goldenhorn and Yellowhorn are its common English names. Wenguanguo is grown in Liaoning, Jilin, Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia, China. Its seeds, leaves and flowers are edible and its seeds have been used as a folk medicine to treat enuresis for centuries. Its branches and woods are also used as a folk medicine.
Chinese patent applications CN 1092991A and CN 1092992A discussed the methods for producing a medicine from Wenguanguo kernel powder for curing enuresis and enhancing cerebral functions. Chinese patent CN 1052636C discussed a method for producing a medicine with ethanol extract from the Wenguanguo kernel powder for curing enuresis and enhancing cerebral functions. Journal of Shenyang University of Pharmacy (2001), 18(1), 53-56 disclosed the n-butanol extract from the wood of Wenguanguo, which has anti-inflammatory effect.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20030096030 discussed the extracts from the husks of Wenguanguo which are Bunkankasaponin A. B. C. D and two sterols for preventing cerebral aging, improving cerebral functions and curing enuresis, frequent micturition, urinary incontinence, dementia, weak intelligence, and increasing the body's ability to resist the activity of glycosuria.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 20030082293 disclosed the extracts Bunkankasaponin A. B. C. D, crude fats, crude protein and sugars from the shell of Wenguanguo.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,943, issued on Sep. 9, 2003, discussed the composition comprising Wenguanguo combined extracts and the methods for preparing them and uses thereof. The methods for preparing the combined extract from the husks comprise the following steps: extracting Wenguanguo husks with an organic solvent (e.g. ethanol) to form an organic (e.g. ethanol) extract; removing the organic solvent (e.g. ethanol) from the organic (e.g. ethanol) extract to form aqueous extracts; and drying and sterilizing the aqueous extracts to form the combined extracts. The combined extracts contain saponins, saccharides, proteins and others. The extracts can be used for producing medicines or health foods for preventing cerebral aging, improving memory, improving cerebral functions and curing enuresis, frequent micturition, urinary incontinence, dementia, weak intelligence and Alzheimer's disease, autism, brain trauma, Parkinson's disease and other diseases caused by cerebral dysfunction. The medicines or health foods further comprise Vitamin B, Vitamin D, K, anti-oxidant, Cordyceps or its extracts, gingko or its extracts, Echinacea or its extracts, Huperzine A, folic acid, amino acids, creatine, fiber supplement or a combination thereof.
Yingjie Chen, Tadahiro Takeda and Yukio Ogihara in Chem. Pharm. Bull 33(4)1387-1394 (1985) described a study on the constituent of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. See Section V. Saponins from the Fruits of Xanthoceras sorbifolia. Four new saponins were isolated from the fruits of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. The structures of these saponins are bunkankasaponins A, B, C and D:    (1) 22-O-acetyl-21-O-(4-O-acetyl-3-O-angeloyl)-β-D-fucopyranosyl-3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]protoaecigenin    (2) 22-O-acetyl-21-O-(3,4-di-O-angeloyl)-β-D-fucopyranosyl-3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]protoaecigenin    (3) 28-O-acetyl-21-O-(4-O-acetyl-3-O-angeloyl)-β-D-fucopyranosyl-3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]protoaecigenin    (4) 28-O-acetyl-21-O-(3,4-di-O-angeloyl)-β-D-fucopyranosyl-3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]protoaecigenin
Yingjie Chen, Tadahiro Takeda and Yukio Ogihara in Chem. Pharm. Bull 33(3)1043-1048 (1985) described studies on the constituent of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. See Section IV. Structures of the Miner Prosapogenin. The prosapogenins from the partial hydrilyzate of fruit saponin of Xanthoceras sorbifolia were examinated, and are characterized as:                16-O-acetyl-21-O-(3,4-di-O-angeloyl-β-D-fucopyranosyl) protoaecigenin        22-O-acetyl-21-O-(3,4-di-O-angeloyl-β-D-fucopyranosyl) protoaecigenin 3-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside        
Yingjie Chen, Tadahiro Takeda and Yukio Ogihara in Chem. Pharm. Bull 33(1)127-134 (1985) describe studies on the constituent of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. See Section III. Minor Prosapogenins aponins from the Fruits of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. The structure of 3 minor prosapogenins, obtained by acid hydrolysis of the crude saponin faction, were characterized as:                21-O-(3,4-di-O-angeloyl)-β-D-fucopyranosyltheasapogenol B        21-O-(4-O-acetyl-3-O-angeloyl)-β-D-fucopyranosyltheasapogenol B        21-O-(4-O-acetyl-3-O-angeloyl)-β-D-fucopyranosyl-22-O-acetylprotoaescigenin        
Yingjie Chen, Tadahiro Takeda and Yukio Ogihara in Chem. Pharm. Bull 33(4)1387-1394 (1985) described a study on the constituent of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge. See Section II. Major Sapogenol and prosapogenin from the Fruits of Xanthoceras sorbifolia. 
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Cancer cells are defined by two heritable properties: (1) they reproduce in defiance of normal restraints on cell division; and (2) they invade and colonize territories normally reserved for other cells.
Cancers require mutations of many genes to develop, and they are classified according to the tissue and cell type from which they arise. Cancers arising from epithelial cells are named carcinomas; those arising from connective tissue or muscle cells are named sarcomas. In addition, there are cancers called leukemias, which are derived from hemopaietic cells; and cancers derived from cells of the nervous system.
Cancers originating from different types of cells are, in general, very different diseases. Each cancer has characteristics that reflect its origin. Even when a cancer has metastasized and proliferated out of control, its origins can be traced back to a single, primary tumor. Therefore it is important to develop drugs against target cells with a specified character.
Ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer death in women and the leading cause of death from gynecologic. In the United States, females have a 1.4 to 2.5% (1 out of 40-60 women) lifelong chance of developing ovarian cancer. Older women are at highest risk. More than half of the deaths from ovarian cancer occur in women between 55 and 74 years of age and approximately one quarter of ovarian cancer deaths occur in women between 35 and 54 years of age. (See http://www.nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000889.htm)
Ovarian cancer is disproportionately deadly for a number of reasons. First, symptoms are vague and non-specific, so women and their physicians frequently attribute them to more common conditions. By the time the cancer is diagnosed, the tumor has often spread beyond the ovaries. Also, ovarian cancers shed malignant cells that frequently implant on the uterus, bladder, bowel, and lining of the bowel wall (omentum). These cells can begin forming new tumor growths before cancer is even suspected. Second, because no cost-effective screening test for ovarian cancer exists, more than 50 percent of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the advanced stages of the disease.
This invention provides compounds or compositions extracted from Xanthoceras Sorbifolia or synthesized which have substantial potency against ovarian cancer.